Data tags store or represent data, and are commonly used in automated identification and data capture (AIDC) applications. By reading a data tag, a user or system can access information about an item to which the tag is attached. There are different types of data tags, including: bar codes, magnetic stripes, integrated circuit cards, and radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponders. RFID transponder data tags are referred to herein as RFID tags.
RFID tags use radio waves and store data that can be read wirelessly at relatively short distances. RFID tags are a popular choice for AIDC applications due to their small size and ease of reading without requiring line-of-sight.
One disadvantage associated with using RFID tags is that there is potential for the data stored in the tag to be changed, for example, through fraud, or through data corruption.
It would be advantageous to have a mechanism for validating the integrity of data stored on an RFID tag; that is, to validate that the data currently stored on a tag is the same as the data originally stored on the tag. It would also be advantageous to have a mechanism for ensuring that the RFID tag has not been removed from an item it was originally attached to, and attached to a different item.